A very tall woman stands behind the counter, she's cleaning a glass; actually using soap and water not just wiping it off mind you, and speaks up in a regal voice. "Welcome to the Blazen Inn. Feel free to move about but beware, your own folly is not my problem, cross someone or something and you'll have to deal with it. Rough up my place and you'll deal with me. Otherwise I'd be happy to serve you food and drink and maybe a bit of entertainment from our bards later on." SHe had a shiny button pinned to the lapel of her shirt which read
Also behind her on the mantle was a club with every imaginable square inch covered in all forms of weaponry. Obvoiusly the wielder intended it to be useful agienst all types of varous creatures. Garlic, a bit of blanket, a silver spike, a mangled holy symbol, you name it and it was there.
Check the history if you're new (see bottom of page)
Interview with a Werewolf
A large man with a travelling cloak entered the Inn, shuffling anxiously towards the bar where he took a stool. He sat there, sniffing his large nose from the cold outside, which was bent out of shape from being repeatedly broken. There was a mess of stubble on his face and chin that he itched compulsively. It was only when he caught someone working at the bar that he inquired; "is it you that owns this dwelling?" When he had finished talking however, his eye twitched briefly, and he made a bizarre snorting noise.
Willowharp entered in the back door of the inn, carrying the limp form of a man under her arm. Fur and fang slowly receded back until she was agian in her elfin form.
Iro looked up at the cloaked man with a smile. "I don't work here really, but she does." She nodded at Willowharp and continued cleaning her plate.
Willowharp stopped and looked at the man, "This is my inn, how may I help you?"
The twitchy man regarded the limp corpse with a curious gaze, his eye twitching wildly as he stared. "That," he said, "is a vampire, right? And you're a werewolf aren't you?" He made two gruff snorting sounds and scratched his chin aggressively.
Willowharp stiffened a little bit and proudly wiped a smudge of grime off of her "Proud to be a wolf" button. "I am and he is I think, or maybe was...I should say." she said giving the motionless form a nudge.
Biting his lip, the man made what could have been a cackle - only it sounded like an excited whine of a dog. "Vampire, yes...there's been many of those about, yes...attackin
g our brethren, yes..." Suddenly he erupted in a momentary spasm of snarling, barking, and unsettling twitching, whilst seemingly restraining one arm from striking the deceased vampire.
Willoharp remained motionless as the stranger snarled, eyeing him with unnerving calm. She waited till he had clamed down and then spoke in a calm voice but her eys held a sadness in them, "I see what you mean. You've had a rough time it seems. Let me just dispose of this and then I'll get you something to calm your nerves."
Grumbling something incomprehensible, the wolf-man seemed to calm as he sat down. "It's a full moon tomorrow..." he said, wonderingly. "Then we'll change...then we'll change...always starts a few days before; the animal inside trying to get out; the brightening moon making it stronger until...until the moon is full and it's strength is full, and only when the moon is dead doth the animal rest again..."
Then he seemed to come around, and gazed stonily at Willowharp with a new and regulated concentration. "We have to talk; our kind is in danger."
Iro kept her eyes down during the strange man's tirade, though she made sure Fandarel was still leaning calmly against one wall. She listened closely as he spoke. This town had proven to be interesting so far, but her survivor's instinct warned her not to become embroiled in things beyond her scope. After all, she was only human.
"This beast," the werewolf said, indicating to the vampire, "was it armed at all?"
Willowharp sighed. "I know, things do not bode well for our kind. He was armed with some strange blade that I swear made my hair stand on end...I didn't care for it. Left it in the alley I did, should I send someone to go fetch it?"
"You don't know the half of it," the werewolf grunted. "And yes, I would like to see this blade. But I think you need to know about the recent incidents in Town; you see, a lot of our brethren have come under vampire attack in the past couple of months." He spoke in a low voice so really only Willowharp could hear distinctly.
The man continued: "Started off slow, with just a few more than usual - because there's always been a bit of animosity between us and the vampires, as you well know - but lately they've been getting so frequent that there are nearly four or five a week!" He snorted like a dog at this point, evidently excited.
"But the weird bit is this; some of the lycans we've found - the ones that were well and truly dead, not just scratched in places - these ones didn't have a mark on them. It's like they were just struck dead by something..."
Willowharp sighed again at this and nodded her head. "I see, the situation is much graver than I had suspected. What are the others doing about it? I heard Valra's going to call a council, the first in a very long time...maybe these vampires are somehow connected to the unpleasent dwarves who've been paying me a visit lately...." She turned and called for Cadmillla and sent her out with a thick cloth to get the blade that was oustide.
She handed the man before her a drink of a dark brown liquid.
Wendell sidled up beside Iro, "It's allright if you listen. The Lady tells us anyway. She'll take no offense and if it effects her then it will effect us too in the long run. The Lady's got some queer but true connections to people and things." he said with a sagely nod and a mischevious tap to the side of his nose.
The werewolf drank the liquid, shuddering initially at its strength. Then he took the blade with the cloth protecting his hands, and grimaced at it immediately. "Silver blade," he spat. "So if he cut you it would do some serious damage..." Then he muttered a string of curses under his breath and twitched again. Clearly adrenaline of any sort brought out 'the beast' within him...
"But uh, I haven't heard anything from the Wolves in those parts. No of us has. Speaking of which, I think you ought to come on down to this place that's friendly to our kind." He gestured to Willowharp's pointed ears. "The owner is elvish too."
Iro smiled at Wendell and stroked Fanderels. He twitched nervously, ruffling his feathers everytime the lycan growled. He was normally comfortable with animal shape shifters, but the frequent grumblings and the tension in the air made him uneasy. Iro considered carefully. She wanted to help and she knew her skills might be of some use, bu should she get mixed in with this? After all, what did it have to do with her? Still, Willowharp had already won her respect, and she liked the bard. "Might as well stick around a bit, huh?" she murmured to Fandarel. "After all, I'd rather not face those draconians quite yet."
Wendel heard her and smiled at the remark. "Naw, its best to stick with the wolves I think. They at least won't pounce on you and drink your blood."
Willowharp nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. I haven't heard anything from the council either. And if that blade was silver its no wonder it gave me the shivers. When do you plan on going?"
The werewolf smiled grimly when he saw the support for their kind, and snorted humorously at Wendel's comment. "I suggest we go when the sun comes up," he said to Willowharp. "When those scum can't walk the streets..." Then his face turned more severe.
"I must tell you this however, as much as you may think that there is strength in numbers within our kind, you may be mistaken in thinking so. Numbers have not saved our brethren recently, and I must warn you that this is a dark, dark time for our kind. Just so you know..."
Willowharp's lip curled for a moment when she heard that numbers hadn't helped her kin and then it faded and she was once again calm. "Thank you for telling me. I'll keep that in mind. Would you care to rest here till we go? It would preobably be safer than you roaming alone."
"We all walk alone," the werewolf mused. "All of our brethren are doomed too. But I'd appreciate a break, yes. I'd pack relatively heavy for tomorrow though - just an extra cloak or something - because we'll have to catch a taxi cart; this place is quite far, in the next town. The carts don't go after dark - they have some sense."
He drank from the liquid again, which bombarded his taste buds again. "This place by the way, is called the Soul and Shadow. Classy place, but in a scary neighbourhood. I guarantee there are no vampires there, because this place is - like I said, scary - but in a different way."
Willowharp nodded then poured herself some cider. She gestured to the club she had handing on the wall behind her (see description at top of page 2nd paragraph). "I've seen a good share of scary in my days too. I'm willing to give anything a try." she said with a laugh. "I'll go pack, if you need anything let Cadmilla or Wendel know."
"A stiff drink," grinned the werewolf. "And one of those monsters!" He eyed the club impressively; it was a serious instrument. "As for scary things, we won't need to worry because werewolves are safe in those parts: lots of aliies you see."
"Good to know!" called Willowharp as she buslted about stuffing a few things into a haversack. Cadmilla tended to the bar and poured the man a "stiff drink".
Wendel moved from where he was beside Iro. "My lady," he said as was natural to the poetic bard, "I insist that you take me with you. I wouldn't be able face it if anything happened to you, nor would I be able to call myself a bard if I didn't adventure from time to time."
Willowharp stopped and faced him. "Wendell," she sighed, "I don't know...I won't stop you but I don't know everything we're getting into. And who would watch the inn while I'm gone?"
Cadmilla piped up then, "I will Willowharp! My sisters live just a street away. They can some and stay here and help me run the inn. They're husbands are defintly men to reckon with I can tell you that. And they've got a troll living with them. Between all of us I'm sure we can keep the place from being ripped apart by these vampires and dwarves."
Wendel laughed, "True, I've never heard tale of a vampire biting a troll. Thier hide's too thick, they'd break a tooth or two just trying and that's only if they can get close enough."
With a broad smile across his face, the werewolf spoke to Wendel and Cadmilla. "Thanks," he said gruffly but pleasantly. "It's just so rare now that people will readily help werwolves, so thanks."
Wendell laughed, "I'm not partial to any race sir, I just consider anyone person to be friendly so long as they don't try to rip my arm off."
Cadmilla blushed a bit and curtseyed. And then busied herself about the inn, getthing things together for Willowharp.
Willowharp laughed. "Well if you think they'll be alright Wendell I'll let her run the inn for the time being. Now gather together whatever you're bringing and be ready within the hour. We'll have set set off soon."
The werewolf turned his head and looked out of the window. "The sun's almost up, we're nearly safe for a day..." Then he turned back to Willowharp. "I'll go out and get us a cab, I haven't done anything all night except drink and try to scare you all, so I'll do something..." With that he got up and proceeded to the door.
Cadmilla follwed him and began opening the shutters on the windows.
Wendel and Willowharp talked about what gear they would need and made a list of things for Cadmilla to do while they were gone.
The werewolf wasn't gone long. Within the hour he re emerged with a grim face and beckoned Willowharp over. "It's here, " he said. "Say farewell to your friends, tell them you love them. You are blessed to have such good company as them, and this may your last time together." He eyed her severely. "I promise nothing. This war will claim so much."
Ready and packed Willowharp and Wendel bid farewell to Iro and Cadmilla and left with the man.
Cadmilla stood there at the door and then turned to Iro. "I'm following, you want to come with me? My family can run the inn but I think my sister and the troll will accompany, are you game?"
Iro grinned. "Up for an adventure Fan?" she asked? She had made up her mind. This was bound to turn into something interesting. She leapt lightly onto Fan's back and bent down do Camilla. "It will go faster and easier if you'de like a ride."
Cadmilla a little unsure, clambered on.
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